The governor of Texas has called on the Texas Rangers to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct at the famed and recently shuttered Karolyi Ranch north of Houston. The ranch was until recently a training camp for the nation's top gymnasts.

Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to the director of the state's public safety department Tuesday asking him to deploy the statewide law enforcement Rangers to provide a thorough investigation of the ranch. USA Gymnastics terminated its relationship with the Karolyi Ranch earlier this month during a sentencing hearing for former gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, who was sentenced to up to 175 years in state prison for criminal sexual conduct. Several women who provided statements during that hearing say Nassar assaulted them while they were training at the ranch in Texas.

"The public statements made by athletes who previously trained at the Karolyi Ranch are gutwrenching," Abbott wrote in his letter. "Those athletes, as well as all Texans, deserve to know that no stone is left unturned to ensure that the allegations are thoroughly vetted and the perpetrators and enablers of any such misconduct are brought to justice. The people of Texas demand, and the victims deserve, nothing less."

Several of the women who spoke out about Nassar said he earned their trust by playing the "good cop" alongside demanding and demeaning coaches, including ranch owners and former Olympic coaches Bela and Marta Karolyi. While Nassar was supposed to be treating them in their rooms at the ranch, he sexually assaulted them, the women say....

The Karolyis were demanding coaches and Nasser apparently used that to gain the confidence of the gymnasts by giving them treats to befriend them. He is accused of going from forbidden deserts to forbidden sexual contacts.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Hill:
Democrats are more fearful about what 2018 holds than Republicans, according to a poll released early Monday.

The new Axios survey showed 55 percent of Democrats are more hopeful personally about the new year while 44 percent are more fearful.

Among Republicans, 90 percent are more hopeful about 2018, and just 9 percent are more fearful.

When asked about the world in general, 29 percent of Democrats said they are more hopeful, compared to 70 percent who said they are more fearful.

Pollsters found 67 percent of Republicans are more hopeful about the world in general in the new year, and 32 percent are more fearful....
While this may just reflect Democrats' anxiety about being out of power, the poll also demonstrates a sense of optimism by Republicans. Except for a few of the never Trumpers, most Republicans have been pleasantly surprised by the accomplishments Trump has put in place in his first year in office. I think that is because Republicans are getting better at filte…

Washington Examiner:
President Obama used his executive powers to attack industries to lower the value of certain companies, allowing his friends in the private sector to swoop in and buy them up at reduced prices, according to Peter Schweizer’s new book Secret Empires: How Our Politicians Hide Corruption and Enrich Their Families and Friends.

The book, released Tuesday, said Obama and his administration would deem industries either destructive to the environment or exploitative for the financial and professional gain of his friends, including industries such as coal mining, offshore drilling, cash advance companies, and for-profit colleges.

The book highlighted Marty Nesbitt and Harreld Kirkpatrick III, both former basketball players and close friends of the Obamas, who launched their private equity investment firm Vistria in sync with Obama’s re-election in 2012.

Reuters/Chicago Tribune:Illinois' financial condition continued to deteriorate in fiscal 2011, leaving it the state with the lowest level of net assets in the country, as its liabilities, including money owed for public pensions, grew, according to a report released on Thursday by the state's auditor general.

Illinois' $43.8 billion deficit in terms of net assets at the end of June 2011 rose from $37.5 billion in fiscal 2010, when it also ranked the lowest among states.

In fiscal 2011, New Jersey's equivalent deficit in terms of net assets was $33.4 billion, while Massachusetts' was $22.8 billion and Connecticut's $14 billion, according to the report.

California, which shares low credit ratings with Illinois, had a $10.5 billion deficit at the end of fiscal 2011. All of the other states included in the report had positive net assets, with Texas at the top with $97.3 billion....
All states with negative net assets are blue states, although New Jersey now has a Rep…